By Dairy News editor Geoff Adams
If you’re living in metropolitan areas you have come across an interesting campaign developed by Dairy Australia to promote the industry, but, most likely if you are reading this, you aren’t living in a city.
Dairy Australia has changed the focus of its marketing to try to target influencers and opinion makers in an area of thought called, ’social licence’.
This is not like your heavy vehicle licence!
It’s more about the acceptance of one sector of a community to operate their enterprise in the wider community.
That social licence for dairying has been under prominent attack by animal liberation activists in high profile farm invasions, but the principle has also been under pressure from a range of other directions, including health advocates and environmental lobbyists.
Years ago the dairy industry ignored the spurious claims of pseudo health professionals who claimed milk caused all manner of ailments, but the myths have continued to multiply, in part due to the advent of social media and the popularity of unqualified commentators.
Recent news from the Heart Foundation, reported elsewhere in this edition, sets the record straight about dairy products and their value in a balanced diet.
But there is a huge job ahead of the industry’s marketing gurus.
It’s become quite popular for commentators to chip away at traditional staples in the Australian diet and to ride the wave of misconception to attract more keyboard clicks.
Dairy Australia has developed the campaign to address issues like animal health, environment and nutrition to tackle the themes head-on.
Consumers can use the Dairy Matters website to ask questions from a professional panel established by Dairy Australia.
Dairy News Australia strongly recommends farmers visit the site and use it in discussions with their friends and neighbours about the future of the industry and it’s place in a modern society.